Universal sign



Patented July 118, 1893.

A. D. PAGE "ie E. J. MGALLISTER.

UNIVERSAL sIeN.

We@ A -..h U vm`m oooooo (Ne Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

ALMON D. PAGE AND EDWIN J. MCALLISTER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

UNIVERSAL SIGN.

SPEOIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,690, dated July 18, 1893.

Application filed May 14, 1892. Serial No. 432,973. (No model.) i

VTo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALMON D, PAGE and EDWIN J. MCALLISTER, both citizens of the United States, residing at Newark, in the' `vide a sign in which the desired words or characters can be set up by inserting separate sections, each carrying electric lamps forming or illuminating parts of the sign, forexample, if the sign is composed of words,each section carrying a letter, and if of numbers, each section carrying a number.

Another object is to provide an improved alphabet for the sign. Other objects will appear from the following description.

The invention consists primarily in a sign V'constructed in sections carrying electric lamps arranged to form characters which together make up the words or indication of the sign; and the invention consists in a series of letters, numerals or characters having electric lamps arranged to form said letters, numerals or characters, the number of lamps on any section being the same or a multiple of the same number, for example, eight, sixteen or twenty-four, the groups of lamps, when there is more than one group on a section, being preferably connected in multiple series to terminals or contact devices, and the invention consists also in other constructions and combinations hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of a board having an arbitrary sign consisting of the letters A B C and the numerals 5 7 9 set up thereon. Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line -oc of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a section, on a correspending line, of a slightly modified form.

1 is a board or frame, around the edges of which are strips 2, 3 carrying on their inner sides moldings 4, and in the space between the moldings and the board 1 along two sides of the board are exposed metal strips 5, 6, which serve as conductors or contacts and which are connected to the terminal posts 7, 8 adapted to be connected to any suitable source of current. The boards or sections 9 of which the sign is made up are provided with lamp sockets having terminal sleeves l1 and central contacts 12, as common in the well known Edison form of socket, or the sections maybe provided with terminals arranged as in other forms of socket when another style of lamp than the Edison is to be used, and in these sockets are mounted electric lamps 13. On each section the sockets, which may be otl proper size to receive miniature lamps, or which may be of any desired size, are arranged in such order that they form the outline of one of the letters of the alphabet or of anumeral orother desired device. In Fig.3 the sockets are shown in holes in the boards 9.

'In the back of the boards 9 are preferably formed grooves 1 4, and in these grooves are wires or circuit connections 15, 16 extending from the exposed spring or contact device 17 on the end of the board to the first socket sleeve and from the first socket central terminal to the succeeding socket sleeve, and so on, to the spring or contact device at the opposite end of the board. The springs 17 at the tops and bottoms of the boards or sections 9 make electrical contact with the conductors 5, 6 and also guide and steady the plates.

10 are spacing boards adapted to be inserted in the track formed by the moldings '4 at the ends or between the character sections, and are similar in shape to the boards 9 on which the letters or figures of vwhich the' sign is composed are mounted. The spacing plates may or may not have springs corresponding to springs 17 for the purpose of 'holding them in place.

In Fig. 1 the circuit connections are indicated at the letter C only,vbut it will be understood that each section of the sign 'has corresponding circuit connections. In the arrangement illustrated, the small circles indicate the lamps, and each letter and numeral .is composed of a number of lamps which is a multiple of eight, the lamps being connected to the conductors 5, 6 in multiple series .ot eight. The number of lamps in each letter IOO or figure might be a multiple of four, six or` formation of a character, or when desired,l

they can be put on to constitute ornamentations, as indicated at 18, Fig. 1. When it is desired to change the sign the end 1-9 of the' frame, which is hinged at 20 and has a se-` curing device 21, is turned down, as shown,

and the parts' constituting the old sign are. removed, When said parts can be rearranged;

in any desired manner, or other sections sub-l stituted, the lamps being thrown into circuiti` by mere insertion of the sections into the?y frame.

ably thinner vthan in Fig. 3 and covered with an ornamental cloth or other layer -22 on Which sockets`23 are secured to form the outline of i characters, 'the Wires 15, 16 being connectedr to theterminals thereofv as already described. In this ligure also the springs 17 are shownl wider than 'the boards 9 soas to occupy the Whole Width of the grooves formed by the moldings et and thus to guide and secure the plates as Well as to make contact with vthe conductors 5, 6.

To prevent warping of 'the supporting board or frame, cleats`24 may be set vinto the back thereof, asshown.

-Signs made'as described are adapted forl use in a large variety of situations, and the manufacturers by keeping on hand a small `stock of letters'and numerals `will beable to quickly 'furnish signs'indicating any desired name or number.

It Will 'be clear that the arrangement ofthe contact springs on the boards or sections 9,

as Well as 'the 'construction and arrangement of the sockets for the lamps, and of some of the other parts of the apparatus, can belargely varied. Without departing from our invention.

Vhat We claim is l. The combination, in a sign, of a support with exposed contacts to which a source of current may be connected, electrically illuminated letters or sections with suitable circuitconnections and having exposed'contacty With exposed contacts to Which a source of current may be connected, electrically illuminated letters or sections adapted to be arranged removably and interchangeably on said support, said sections having suitable `circuit connections and'exposed contact ydevices making contact With the first mentioned exposed contacts when the sections are put in place, and means for holding the sections in position on the support and for releasing the same when desired, substantially as described.

n 3. The combination in a section of a sign, of a suitable body, electric lamps supported thereon in the form of a letter or part of a sign, circuit Wires connected to saidvlamps,

' f source of current, vsubstantially'as described. In Fig. Lthe boards 9 are `shown 'consider-f 4. Thecombination, ina signor similardevice, of several boards or sections having characters formed' of electriclamps,fthe'number of lamps on each Asection being `the same or a multiple of the same 'numbenterminals for the lamps of each'section, and conductors to which said terminals are connected, sublamps on the separate 'sections can all be connected in equalV groups to a supply circuit, substantially as described.

6. A series of lettersor'ch'aracters made up of electric lamps arranged in the desired form and adapted to be connectedto'a single circuit, each letter being separate from the others but having the vsameor ainultiple ot'the same number of lamps, and means for connecting the lamps forming'each 'characterto such circuit in any kdesired order, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in a sign, of asupport having a base-board,conductors in grooves formed valong'the edgesofth-e base-board, and boards orsectionscarryin g electric lampsand having contact devices adapted vto bear on said conductors held in said grooves, substantially as described.

This Aspecification signed and witnessed this 7th day of May, 1892.

ALMON D. PAGE. v 'EDWIN J. MCALLISTER. Witnesses:

FRANCIS R. UP'roN, CHAs. H. 'HEELEK IOO 

